Pen and reservoir attachment therefor



Jan. 16, 1945. c E; THURSTON 2,367,539

PEN AND RESERVOIR ATTACHMENT THEREFOR Filed Sept. 9, 1945 Patented Jan. 16, 1945 PEN AND RESERVOIR ATTACHBIENT THEREFOR Charles E. Thurston, Merchantville, N. J., assignor to The Esterbrook Steel Pen Manufacturing (30., Camden, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 9, 1943, Serial No. 501,599

12 Claims. (01. 120 113) My invention relates to pens for lettering, drawing, and/or the like, and reservoir-forming attachments for use therewith.

More particularly my invention relates to pens of the lettering type having broad nibs or paperengaging writing tables usually set diagonally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pen.

There are many forms of these pens, and many attachments therefor providing for a supply of ink so that considerable writing or lettering may be effected from a single dipping.

In view of the character of the ink with which pens of this type are employed, it is necessary to clean the same and any reservoir attachment at more or less frequent intervals, and the main feature of my invention consists of a simple form sion of means for maintaining the nibs in close relationship so that lines of even quality as to width may be produced by the pen.

These and other features of my invention are more fully set forth hereinafter; reference being had to the accompanying drawing, more or less diagrammatic in character, in which:

- Figure l is a plan view of one form of lettering pen developed in accordance with one feature of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the same on a larger scale, taken on the line IIII, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the pen shown in Fig. 1 on a still larger scale; showing the reservoirfo-rming attachment applied thereto.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the assembly shown .in Fi 3.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view on the line V-V, Fig. 3. Figs. 6 and 7 are cross-sectional views on the lines VI-VI and VIIV'II, respectively, Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 4, partly in section, illustrating modified means for associating the reservoir-forming member with the pen, and Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view on the line IX-IX, Fig. 8.

My improved construction is of a simple and inexpensive character; it has a longer life by reason of the fact that there is no disarrangement of the parts with respect to their position when in the writing relation, when they *are displaced for a cleaning operation, the parts are easier to clean by reason of complete disassembly, the reservoir-forming member of the assembly has greater capacity for a supply of ink, and it provides for restricting flexibility of the nibs; thereby insuring uniform line width.

In Figure 1, I have shown one form of pen embodying certain features of my invention; such pen being of a type of lettering pen and, as shown in the present instance, it is provided with a writing table disposed diagonally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pen at the end of'its nibs. This table may be circular in contour, as illustrated, or of any other cont0urrectangular or otherwiselike the equipment of many pens of this type.

In the present instance this pen, indicated generally at It, may have a substantially flat nib surface, indicated at H, with a pierce hole l2, the usualslit l3, centrally of the forward portion to provide the nibs M which terminate in the writing table l5, and a shank portion I6 to be received in the usual holder.

Intermediate the ends of the pen the body of the same is cut through or slitin the present instance in the contour of the letter Tand the metal of the pen within the outline of such cuts or slits is bent upwardly and stands substantially at a right angle with respect to the body of the pen for cooperative engagement with the reservoir-forming attachment constituting the other feature of my invention. This T-shaped post or support, indicated at H, has arms or shoulders Il providing engaging means.

The reservoir-forming attachment which constitutes the other feature of my invention has a forward portion in the nature of a spoon or tongue 20, overlying the nib: portion of the pen and a rear portion in detachable engagement with the T-shaped post or support IT struck-up from the body of the pen. The spoon or tongue portion 20 may be fiat, as indicated, or slightly convex and the space :v between the same and the nibs forms the reservoir for a supply of ink. At

the front end of the spoon or tongue I provide depending ears 21 which embrace the nibs portions I4 of the pen adjacent'the writing table l5 thereof. These ears restrict flexibility of the nibs, prevent sidewise displacement of the same in the use of the pen and insure that lines produced by the writing table shall. be uniform in width. In addition, these ears serve to dispose the tongue or spoon in proper alignment with respect to the pen and assist in the mounting of the reservoir-forming member thereon.

Side portions of the spoon or tongue are bent downwardly, as indicated at 22; such portions flanking the space a: and forming retaining means for the ink, and the rear portion of the reservoirforming member is substantially of inverted U- shape in cross-section and overlies the mid portion of the pen body. The upper 'fiat wall 23 of this portion is apertured at 24 and in forming this aperture, thru which the T-shaped post passes, two small prongs 25 are struck-up and are bent to form what may be termed hooks, and these hooked prongs take under the arms or shoulders Il of the T-shaped post I'Las clearlyillustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 7.

The body portion of the reservoir-forming member terminates in a spring finger 26 adapted to engagethe upper surface of the pen when applied to the same, and in the final position the reservoir-forming member is held by means of the pronged hooks underlying the arms or shoulders of the T-shaped post and under spring tension effected by the spring finger 2B and the spoon portion in engagement with the forward portion of the nibs. It will be noted, therefore, that the reservoir-forming member is snapped under the arms of the T-shaped post and, by reason of the spring tension provided by the finger 20 and the spoon, held firmly in place yet easily detachable for the purpose of cleaning the same and/or the pen.

To facilitate application of the reservoir-forming member, the wall 23 of the same may be pro- .vided with a projection 21, which may be struckupfrom the same.

In applying the reservoir-forming member to the pen, the ears 2| at the forward end of the spoon are first positioned with respect to the nibs behind the writing table I 5 and when in such position the hooked prongs 25 are just to the rear .of the T-shaped post. By pressing down on the wall 23 against the resiliency of the spring arm 25 aswell as the resiliency of the forward spoon portion, the hooked prongs are lowered to a position to pass under the arms Il of the post l1,

and then the member is pushed forward by presholding a supply of ink for subsequent passage to the writing table in the act of writing or lettering.

when such member becomes foul with incrusted' ink, or the pen, the operation of application may be reversed and after pressing down on the wall v23 to release the hooked prongs, rearward movementby pressure against the projection 21 will re- .lease the member from the pen and each may be separately cleaned and then reassembled.

Other means of associating the reservoir-forming member with a pen of this general type may be employed, and in Figs. 8 and 9 I have shown a. modified arrangement of means for retaining the reservoir-forming member with a pen. In this instance, the pen body is apertured at W and just forward of such aperture the body of the pen is upset to form a recess 30. The wall 23 of the reservoir-forming member is provided with a hook element 3! struck-up from the same, and this hook element passes through the apertureof the pen and then, when pressed forward and released, engages the recess 30 of the pen, as indicated in Fig. 8. In all other respects the reservoir-forming member shown in Fig. 8 is the same as that shown in Figs. 3 and 4, with depending ears 2| at the forward end of the same to embrace the nib portions adjacent to the writing table l5.

Application of this modified form of reservoirforming member and detachment from the pen may be performed in a manner precisely similar .to the application and removal of the form of member shown in Figs. 3 and 4. While I have shown a single hook element in the modified form, indicated at 30, it will be understood that I may provide a pair of hooks or prongs arranged to engage separate seats formed in the under side of the pen body.

The side wings of the rear portion of the reservoir-forming member may be of any shape desired; that illustrated being preferred, and to facilitate manipulation of the member when applying the same to or detaching it from the pen, the outer surface of these depending wings may be roughened, as indicated.

While I have described and have shown in the drawings certain specific embodiments of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to such construction since modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; all of which is deemed to be within the the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a pen having an aperture intermediate its ends and integral seating means disposed adjacent said aperture, of a reservoir-forming member overlying the nibs of said pen; said reservoir-forming member having a relatively flat forward portion disposed in an inclined position over the pen nibs and a relatively fiat rear portion spaced from and paralleling the shank of the pen and means and depending from said rear portion for resilient engagement with said seating means.

2. The combination with a pen having an aperture intermediate its ends and integral seating means disposed adjacent said aperture, of a detachable reservoir-forming member overlying the nibs of said pen; said reservoir-forming member having a relatively flat forward portion disposed in an inclined position over the pen nibs and a relatively flat rear portion spaced from and paralleling the shank of the pen and means depending from said rear portion for resilient engagement with said seating means.

3. The combination with a penhaving an aperture intermediate its ends and integral seating means disposed adjacent said aperture, of a reservoir-forming member wholly overlying the nibs of the pen and having a relatively flat forward portion disposed in an inclined position over the nibs of the pen and a relatively flat rear portion substantially paralleling the shank of the pen; said latter part having a depending hooked portion resiliently engaged with said integral seating means.

4. The combination with a pen having an aperture and a recess adjacent said aperture; of a reservoir-forming member wholly overlying the .nibs of the pen and comprising a relatively flat for detachable engagement with the Wall of said recess.

5. The combination with a pen having an upstanding shouldered post intermediate its ends, of a reservoir-forming member wholly overlying the nib portion of the pen and having prongs arranged to underlie the shoulders of said post and maintain said member in engagement with the pen.

6. The combination with a pen having an upstanding shouldered post intermediate its ends, of a reservoir-forming member wholly overlying the nib portion of the pen and having prongs arranged to underlie the shoulders of said post; said prongs being resiliently supported to maintain the reservoir-forming member in engagement with the pen.

'7. The combination with a pen having an upstanding shouldered post disposed intermediate its ends and struck-up from its body, of a reservoir-forming member wholly overlying the nibs of said pen and having prongs resiliently supported and arranged to underlie the shoulders of said post and maintain said member in engagement with the pen.

8. The combination with a pen of the class described having a writing table disposed at the forward end of its nibs, of a reservoir-forming member wholly overlying the pen nibs and comprising a relatively fiat forward portion disposed in an inclined position over the pen nibs and a relatively flat rear portion spaced from and substantially paralleling the shank of the pen and having retaining means depending from said rear portion for resilient engagement with the pen; said reservoir-forming member having depending ears at its forward end embracing the forward portion of the nibs behind the writing table.

9. The combination with a pen having a T- shaped post struck-up from its body and projecting above the same, of a reservoir-forming member overlying the pen nibs and extending rearwardly of said T-shaped post; said member having projections arranged to underlie the arms of said post, and means for resiliently holding said projections in engagement with said arms;

10. In a pen of the class described, the combination with a projection struck-up from the body of the pen and extending above the same, of a reservoir forming member overlying the nibs of the pen, cooperating means carried by said member for engagement with said projection, and a spring finger carried by said member and engaging the body of the pen; said finger assisting in maintaining said cooperating means in engagement with said projection.

11. A pen of the class described having an aperture intermediate its ends and a post struck-up from said pen and upstanding therefrom; said post consisting of the metal displaced from said aperture in combination with a reservoir-forming member spaced from and overlying said pen; said member having means arranged between the same and the pen for detachable engagement with said post.

12. A pen of the class described having an aperture intermediate its ends and a T-shaped post struck-up from said pen and upstanding therefrom; said post consisting of the metal displaced from said aperture in combination with a reservoir forming member spaced from and overlying said pen; said member having means arranged between the sameand the pen for detachable engagement with said post.

CHARLES E. THURSTON. 

